solar panel

Installing solar panels on your home or business is a great way to enjoy clean and free energy for many years. This won’t be a small investment, so you probably want to know how long those solar cells will last. This isn’t an easy question to answer, but it’s possible to provide some predictions.

Naturally, there are different kinds of solar panels that you could choose. You should find that the warranty of panels guarantees them for 25 years or longer. It’s also true that there are examples of solar panels that have stood up for as long as four decades, and these, of course, are older styles. It’s reasonable to expect your home solar system to last for decades in good conditions.

Of course, it’s also reasonable to suspect that certain things could damage solar New York panels and shorten their lives. After all, they have to be exposed to the sun, so a rooftop solar system can take the same kind of beating that your roof will. Your roof might be warranted for twenty years, but you’re likely to need roof repairs after severe weather conditions.

How To Protect Your Investment In Solar Panels

For instance, a hailstorm or heavy wind might quickly shorten the lifespan of your solar panels. Your warranty might not cover this kind of damage. You should make sure that your homeowner’s insurance doesn’t exclude the solar system. If it does, you may choose to purchase some sort of coverage.

Typically, home policies cover appliances — like your furnace and AC — but the area of home solar systems is pretty new. You should contact your agent or insurer to make certain that you understand what kind of coverage you have.

Another option may be to lease your solar system. Very often, lease agreements will cover repairs. The term of the lease may be 20 years, so this can keep your payments affordable. Hopefully, you’ll save more on free energy than you’ll spend, and you won’t have to make a large upfront investment. If you can find a lease that gives you ownership of your solar panels and other equipment after the term, you will benefit after the contract ends too.

Why Invest In Solar Panels?

Solar panels can last for decades, but they are also vulnerable to the same hazards that threaten your roof and other structures around your home. To power an entire home or business, you will need to invest several thousand dollars or commit to a fairly long lease. These are probably reasons why everybody doesn’t run out and get solar systems.

However, the investment is a good one. You can help the environment by generating your own clean energy. You should save money in the long run by having free power. A solar system should also help increase the value of your building. You can take steps to reduce the risk of damage to your solar system by making sure you have damages covered under a warranty, lease guarantee, or insurance.